Repair basics: fix it yourself instead of buying new
The most common RC damage and how to fix it yourself with simple tools – saves money and makes the hobby sustainable.
Something always breaks eventually – that’s part of the hobby and no drama. On hobby-grade models most parts are available individually and swapped in minutes.
What you need
A small basic set covers 90% of cases:
- Phillips and hex keys (metric) to fit your model
- Side cutters, needle-nose pliers, tweezers
- A bit of thread lock (medium strength) for metal screws
- Spare screws, pins and driveshafts (dogbones)
Common damage & quick fixes
- Loose screws / rattling: the most common cause of “odd” behaviour. Re-tighten everything, metal-on-metal with thread lock.
- Broken suspension arms (A-arms): designed breaking points – keep them as cheap spares and simply swap them.
- Spinning/loose wheels: check the drive pins, re-tighten the wheel nuts.
- Dogbone popped out: put it back in, check for wear.
- Range/stutter problems: often an empty battery or a loose connector, rarely the receiver.
When is a repair worth it?
With repairable models, almost always. That’s exactly why we recommend hobby-grade over “toy-grade”: an €8 spare part is cheaper than a new car. How well a model is supplied with parts is shown by our spare-part assessment in the follow-up-cost traffic light.
Unsure about a term? The glossary helps.
Sources & further reading
🤖 This guide was created with AI assistance and editorially reviewed.
